Key to a long marriage: Keep the wife happy

A WIFE'S happiness is more crucial than her husband's in keeping their marriage on track, it is claimed.

The quality of a marriage can affect the health of older people as they age[GETTY]

Researchers found that, when it comes to a happy marriage, the more content the wife is with the long-term union the happier the husband is with his life.

"I think it comes down to the fact that when a wife is satisfied with the marriage she tends to do a lot more for her husband, which has a positive effect on his life," said Dr Deborah Carr of Rutgers University in the US.

"Men tend to be less vocal about their relationships and their level of marital unhappiness might not be translated to their wives," she added.

Dr Carr said the study differs from previous research because it examined the feelings of both spouses to determine how they influenced the well-being of older adults.

"For both spouses being in a better-rated marriage was linked to greater life satisfaction and happiness." She said the study also found that while wives, as the carer, became less happy if their spouses became ill, the husbands' happiness level didn't change if their wives got sick. When a wife was ill, she relied on her daughter.

The researchers said the study is important because the quality of a marriage can affect the health and wellbeing of older people as they continue to age.

At least one of the spouses in the research was 60 or older and, on average, were married for 39 years. The study was published in the Journal of Marriage and Family.